I hope my work will bring you comfort. I have a passion for social support and coaching for emotional skills, but I have no medical or mental health qualifications! And when you are dealing with PPD and anxiety you really need to have an ongoing relationship with a trusted medical professional.

Need to have a Tough Conversation?

Don't just tell them, show them this video. Because normalizing PPD saves lives.

My “More Power to You” Library:

Because I wasn't born knowing, and they don't teach this stuff in school. Some of my favorite skills on my journey from PPD to Joy were found in these sources:

Talking about PPD is so hard. Especially at the beginning. And it is the first step towards recovery.
If you have access to support groups, I urge you to go. But what if you live far away, or work during the day, or are too sick to get out of bed*?

Tam Tadam! PPD SpeakEasy to the rescue!

A phone chat with mothers from near or far. It’s just what the doctor should have ordered. It’s amazing how much relief you can generate from listening to the voices of mothers struggling with the same things as you are. Again, this is about knowing you are not the only freak in town.

What?
A free, loving, and lovely monthly support phone chat, Where each of us gets to vent and unload our burdens in good company. We nurture some, bitch and moan some, and validate a whole lot. Depending on the needs of the mamas on the call, we might get to sharing a couple of my favorite tools from the recovery kooky jar. The “Hard” is easier to carry when we share it.

When?Most months we talk on the 2nd Tuesday of every month, at 8:30pm Eastern Time. Check the Event Calendar for current dates.

How?You sign up to the email list and get call details (phone number and pass-code) to your inbox the day of the call.
At 8:30pm EST you call the number, when prompted you put in the pass-code, and voila, you can talk to me and the rest of us, and you can also just listen. There is no fee for attending.

Who?Mothers of babies and/or older kids.
Some are local (Ithaca, NY) some are not.
Some with PPD, others with anxiety, some with no diagnosis at all, just some nagging feelings. All of us feel mother’s guilt, and all of us are trying to make peace and find ease in motherhood.

What do we talk about?UnGuilting! Self Care! Letting go of perfectionism! Anxiety and what to do about it!
Accepting what is. What’s hard. What’s lovely. Things that don’t make sense. Learning how to be present to joy (hint: disarming guilt is key). Expectations, reality, and the annoying differences between them…

Do I have to talk?Gosh, no!
You are invited to talk; you are welcome to share, vent, unburden yourself. You never have to.
Some people like to only listen. They say they get a lot from just hearing what helps others. You are welcome to do whatever feels right for you.

Do I have to say my name?Only if you want to.You may choose to say just your first name. You could come up with a pretend name (that name you always wished your folks were smart enough to call you? Its day has come!). You could talk without identifying yourself at all, or only say where you are calling from. By the way, I highly recommend not keeping ppd a secret, I only began to get better after I started talking about it, but that might not be where you are right now. And I will never ask you to do anything that doesn’t feel right for you. It’s your call, OK?

Will the call be recorded?The short answer is no.
My original intention was to record these calls to make the replays available for moms who can’t make it to the live call. But there were technical difficulties up the wazoo, and then I’ve gotten some feedback that the recordings feel uncomfortable for some. For these reason I’ve decided to nix the recording.

The PPD SpeakEasy got some tired mamas stamps of approval. Read them here.

* P.S. Stars!

*by the word bed* up there: I’ve been there. Too sick to get out of bed. So sick, that if I left the bed, I had to stop to rest on the floor on the way to the bathroom. Tears in the bathroom. And then had to rest on the floor again on the way back to bed. It was the most painful experience ever. It felt like it would never end. Depression, such a bitch! And I’m better now. And because I’m really not that special, I know that with the right skills, you can get better too. and with the same skills, mothers who are not depressed can protect themselves from getting depressed in the future. It’s all about the tools and the skills: self care, positive self talk, and disarming guilt and anxiety. If I could learn what it takes to get better, you just might be able too. I’ll be sharing those goodies at each Speakeasy call. And if it sounds weird, please consider dialing-in anyway. You won’t have to say a single word to get compassion, ideas, and support.

P.S. 2:Your comments would be very helpful here. Do you have any questions? Suggestions? Wanna tell me how to make it easier for you to participate? Feedback, I love it, do tell.

Testimonials: what SpeakEasy callers are saying:

I discovered the PPD SpeakEasy through #ppdchat on twitter. At the time I was once again being sucked into my PPMDs hell, and I needed to hear a voice that offered more support than I could find on Twitter and Facebook. At first, it was hard to believe that calling a secure voice chat would help me with what I needed in that moment! I had to overcome my fears, fears of talking with someone I barely know, fears of being judged, fear of sounding stupid and childish, fear of being misunderstood. Often I feel that I don’t deserve to reach out and accept help and support. With much support I was able to take that scary leap of faith and dial the call access numbers!I couldn’t believe how “true” the person answering the phone really is! Yael is very laid back. She never pushes me to say anything I don’t want to share, I am free to speak and say whatever I need to, never judged or looked down upon. The relaxation techniques that Yael offers at different points in the conversation help me stop and breathe. As nervous and scared as I was before I called, I was able to be relaxed!I really loved connecting with the other mommas on the call! Knowing I am NEVER alone in this journey is so helpful. The women that call share some of my thoughts and fears. It is so good to hear.

~ Nicole (3 boys) @snipcrank1 on twitter, Louisville, Kentucky.

When my husband was out of town and I was flailing in a whirlwind of stress and loneliness, the lovely ladies on Yael’s call were there for me. Just hearing their voices empowered me. We poured out our stories and confessions and together grew stronger over the course of an hour. If you need to talk or just want to listen, I encourage you to participate. It’s worth it.

~ Liz (2 yo boy) @d20blonde on twitter, Baltimore, MD

Before I discovered the PPD SpeakEasy support calls, I was in the deepest parts of my struggle with postpartum depression. Often I wished I could die, or that I could find my daughter a “real” mother. I had no concrete plans to harm myself (I wouldn’t do that to my daughter) I was simply in intense pain and couldn’t find any help or relief.

Connecting with mothers who know what I’m going through is SOOOOO CRUCIAL to my recovery because I didn’t know anyone else with PPD before. I get much comfort from the sharing, and the helpful ideas and tools for redirecting my painful thoughts are even more useful. I didn’t think I could overcome my ‘stinking thinking’. This is a huge struggle for me, I have made more progress with that than I thought I would. I take notes on every call, then I have comforting and nurturing tools to remind my fuzzy, sleep-deprived mind of healthier ways to think when I am having a bad time between the calls.

Yael is honest and has a great mix of humor to soften my bitter pain. Sometimes I feel like she is reading my mind, giving me answers for things I had been too ashamed to ask, or suggesting ways to handle what I’m too overwhelmed to imagine is possible to overcome. I think there is a part of every new mom who needs to be loved and held tenderly by another mom who really understands, and Yael does this for me. I live 2 hours away from Ithaca, and I really hope to be able to attend a PPD to Joy meeting in person some day. Yael, your work has been a lifeline for me. I can’t wait to finally meet you in person and just give you a hug.

Thanks , I’ve recently been searching for info about this subject for a long time and yours is the best I have discovered till now.
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[…] found something to entertain my son for a while, and picked up the phone. I dialled in to the PPD SpeakEasy, not knowing who would be on the line but knowing it would be largely women I had never met and […]

[…] I then had the honor of guest posting for my friend Frelle. We met through #ppdchat and on the monthly PPD SpeakEasy Call that is hosted by Yael Saar. Check out her website for more information on this call. http://www.ppdtojoy.com/support/speakeasy-call/ […]

[…] guest post at her blog. We met through #ppdchat, and we have heard each other’s stories on the PPD SpeakEasy Calls hosted by the lovely Yael Saar. After reading Frelle’s blog, I discovered we had a mutual love […]

[…] about your struggles.Participating in Tweet Chats like #PPDChat and #MHSM.Taking part in the PPD SpeakEasy mental health phone chat.Reading and commenting on blog posts from Band Back Together or checking out this group blog’s […]

[…] answer.Blogging about it.Participating in Tweet Chats like #PPDChat and #MHSM.Taking part in the PPD SpeakEasy mental health phone chat.Reading and commenting on blog posts from Band Back Together or checking out this group […]

[…] after I started leading peer-support PPD groups where I live in Ithaca, NY. Then I created the #PPDSpeakEasy, a monthly phone support chat for mothers anywhere. And I’m in the process of creating an […]

[…] Yael Saar lost her mother to postpartum depression when she was 6.Years later, when she had kids, guess what? Yael struggled with PPD as well. She survived it and became a silly-side-up mama on a mission: to disarm postpartum depression and anxiety by removing guilt and shame from parenting. Yael shares her story (with coping skills on top) at www.ppdtojoy.com. She is @yaelsaar on twitter and www.facebook.com/ppdtojoy on facebook. Yael hosts a monthly ppd support phone chat called the PPD SpeakEasy. It is free, confidential, and loving. This chat happens on the 2nd tuesday of each month at 8:30pm Eastern. In September, to celebrate her birthday, Yael will be holding 3 SpeakEasy chats. For more info and dates click here: http://www.ppdtojoy.com/support/speakeasy-call/ […]

[…] isn’t lucky enough to have someone like Yael at PPD to Joy to launch a PMD group (check out her online group, too). Or your care provider can’t provide your partner with the in-depth information on mood […]

[…] Yael Saar lost her mother to postpartum depression when she was 6.Years later, when she had kids, guess what? Yael struggled with PPD as well. She survived it and became a silly-side-up mama on a mission: to disarm postpartum depression and anxiety by removing guilt and shame from parenting. Yael shares her story (with coping skills on top) at www.ppdtojoy.com. She is @yaelsaar on twitter and www.facebook.com/ppdtojoy on facebook. Yael hosts a monthly ppd support phone chat called the PPD SpeakEasy. It is free, confidential, and loving. This chat happens on the 2nd tuesday of each month at 8:30pm Eastern. In September, to celebrate her birthday, Yael will be holding 3 SpeakEasy chats. For more info and dates click here: http://www.ppdtojoy.com/support/speakeasy-call/ […]

[…] Yael also hosts a monthly PPD support phone chat called the PPD SpeakEasy. It’s a free, confidential, and loving call. This chat happens on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, at 8:30 pm Eastern. More info about the call is right here. […]

[…] If you are (or think you are) struggling with a postpartum mood disorder, you’ve got so may resources to support you. There’s Lauren’s weekly #PPDChat on Twitter, the entirety of Katherine’s website, and Yael’s amazing monthly support call. […]

Do I need to sign onto the e-mail list to get the speakeasy details prior to every meeting or will I automatically get the monthly speakeasy dial-up details since I am already on the list?

Here’s a quote: “Sign up to the website mailing list to get the call details delivered directly to your inbox on the day of each call. Your email will NEVER EVER be shared, your privacy is always safe here.”

Talking about PPD is so hard. Especially at the beginning. And it is the first step towards recovery.
If you have access to support groups, I urge you to go. But what if you live far away, or work during the day, or are too sick to get out of bed*?

Tam Tadam! PPD SpeakEasy to the rescue!

A phone chat with mothers from near or far. It’s just what the doctor should have ordered. It’s amazing how much relief you can generate from listening to the voices of mothers struggling with the same things as you are. Again, this is about knowing you are not the only freak in town.

What?
A free, loving, and lovely monthly support phone chat, Where each of us gets to vent and unload our burdens in good company. We nurture some, bitch and moan some, and validate a whole lot. Depending on the needs of the mamas on the call, we might get to sharing a couple of my favorite tools from the recovery kooky jar. The “Hard” is easier to carry when we share it.

When?Most months we talk on the 2nd Tuesday of every month, at 8:30pm Eastern Time. Check the Event Calendar for current dates.

How?You sign up to the email list and get call details (phone number and pass-code) to your inbox the day of the call.
At 8:30pm EST you call the number, when prompted you put in the pass-code, and voila, you can talk to me and the rest of us, and you can also just listen. There is no fee for attending.

Who?Mothers of babies and/or older kids.
Some are local (Ithaca, NY) some are not.
Some with PPD, others with anxiety, some with no diagnosis at all, just some nagging feelings. All of us feel mother’s guilt, and all of us are trying to make peace and find ease in motherhood.

What do we talk about?UnGuilting! Self Care! Letting go of perfectionism! Anxiety and what to do about it!
Accepting what is. What’s hard. What’s lovely. Things that don’t make sense. Learning how to be present to joy (hint: disarming guilt is key). Expectations, reality, and the annoying differences between them…

Do I have to talk?Gosh, no!
You are invited to talk; you are welcome to share, vent, unburden yourself. You never have to.
Some people like to only listen. They say they get a lot from just hearing what helps others. You are welcome to do whatever feels right for you.

Do I have to say my name?Only if you want to.You may choose to say just your first name. You could come up with a pretend name (that name you always wished your folks were smart enough to call you? Its day has come!). You could talk without identifying yourself at all, or only say where you are calling from. By the way, I highly recommend not keeping ppd a secret, I only began to get better after I started talking about it, but that might not be where you are right now. And I will never ask you to do anything that doesn’t feel right for you. It’s your call, OK?

Will the call be recorded?The short answer is no.
My original intention was to record these calls to make the replays available for moms who can’t make it to the live call. But there were technical difficulties up the wazoo, and then I’ve gotten some feedback that the recordings feel uncomfortable for some. For these reason I’ve decided to nix the recording.

The PPD SpeakEasy got some tired mamas stamps of approval. Read them here.

* P.S. Stars!

*by the word bed* up there: I’ve been there. Too sick to get out of bed. So sick, that if I left the bed, I had to stop to rest on the floor on the way to the bathroom. Tears in the bathroom. And then had to rest on the floor again on the way back to bed. It was the most painful experience ever. It felt like it would never end. Depression, such a bitch! And I’m better now. And because I’m really not that special, I know that with the right skills, you can get better too. and with the same skills, mothers who are not depressed can protect themselves from getting depressed in the future. It’s all about the tools and the skills: self care, positive self talk, and disarming guilt and anxiety. If I could learn what it takes to get better, you just might be able too. I’ll be sharing those goodies at each Speakeasy call. And if it sounds weird, please consider dialing-in anyway. You won’t have to say a single word to get compassion, ideas, and support.

P.S. 2:Your comments would be very helpful here. Do you have any questions? Suggestions? Wanna tell me how to make it easier for you to participate? Feedback, I love it, do tell.

Testimonials: what SpeakEasy callers are saying:

I discovered the PPD SpeakEasy through #ppdchat on twitter. At the time I was once again being sucked into my PPMDs hell, and I needed to hear a voice that offered more support than I could find on Twitter and Facebook. At first, it was hard to believe that calling a secure voice chat would help me with what I needed in that moment! I had to overcome my fears, fears of talking with someone I barely know, fears of being judged, fear of sounding stupid and childish, fear of being misunderstood. Often I feel that I don’t deserve to reach out and accept help and support. With much support I was able to take that scary leap of faith and dial the call access numbers!I couldn’t believe how “true” the person answering the phone really is! Yael is very laid back. She never pushes me to say anything I don’t want to share, I am free to speak and say whatever I need to, never judged or looked down upon. The relaxation techniques that Yael offers at different points in the conversation help me stop and breathe. As nervous and scared as I was before I called, I was able to be relaxed!I really loved connecting with the other mommas on the call! Knowing I am NEVER alone in this journey is so helpful. The women that call share some of my thoughts and fears. It is so good to hear.

~ Nicole (3 boys) @snipcrank1 on twitter, Louisville, Kentucky.

When my husband was out of town and I was flailing in a whirlwind of stress and loneliness, the lovely ladies on Yael’s call were there for me. Just hearing their voices empowered me. We poured out our stories and confessions and together grew stronger over the course of an hour. If you need to talk or just want to listen, I encourage you to participate. It’s worth it.

~ Liz (2 yo boy) @d20blonde on twitter, Baltimore, MD

Before I discovered the PPD SpeakEasy support calls, I was in the deepest parts of my struggle with postpartum depression. Often I wished I could die, or that I could find my daughter a “real” mother. I had no concrete plans to harm myself (I wouldn’t do that to my daughter) I was simply in intense pain and couldn’t find any help or relief.

Connecting with mothers who know what I’m going through is SOOOOO CRUCIAL to my recovery because I didn’t know anyone else with PPD before. I get much comfort from the sharing, and the helpful ideas and tools for redirecting my painful thoughts are even more useful. I didn’t think I could overcome my ‘stinking thinking’. This is a huge struggle for me, I have made more progress with that than I thought I would. I take notes on every call, then I have comforting and nurturing tools to remind my fuzzy, sleep-deprived mind of healthier ways to think when I am having a bad time between the calls.

Yael is honest and has a great mix of humor to soften my bitter pain. Sometimes I feel like she is reading my mind, giving me answers for things I had been too ashamed to ask, or suggesting ways to handle what I’m too overwhelmed to imagine is possible to overcome. I think there is a part of every new mom who needs to be loved and held tenderly by another mom who really understands, and Yael does this for me. I live 2 hours away from Ithaca, and I really hope to be able to attend a PPD to Joy meeting in person some day. Yael, your work has been a lifeline for me. I can’t wait to finally meet you in person and just give you a hug.

Thanks , I’ve recently been searching for info about this subject for a long time and yours is the best I have discovered till now.
However, what about the bottom line? Are you positive concerning the
supply?dentistry of the carolinas recently posted..dentistry of the carolinas

Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to produce a
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to get nearly anything done.Combat Arms Nx Generator 2014 recently posted..Combat Arms Nx Generator 2014

Hi there! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble with hackers?
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[…] found something to entertain my son for a while, and picked up the phone. I dialled in to the PPD SpeakEasy, not knowing who would be on the line but knowing it would be largely women I had never met and […]

[…] I then had the honor of guest posting for my friend Frelle. We met through #ppdchat and on the monthly PPD SpeakEasy Call that is hosted by Yael Saar. Check out her website for more information on this call. http://www.ppdtojoy.com/support/speakeasy-call/ […]

[…] guest post at her blog. We met through #ppdchat, and we have heard each other’s stories on the PPD SpeakEasy Calls hosted by the lovely Yael Saar. After reading Frelle’s blog, I discovered we had a mutual love […]

[…] about your struggles.Participating in Tweet Chats like #PPDChat and #MHSM.Taking part in the PPD SpeakEasy mental health phone chat.Reading and commenting on blog posts from Band Back Together or checking out this group blog’s […]

[…] answer.Blogging about it.Participating in Tweet Chats like #PPDChat and #MHSM.Taking part in the PPD SpeakEasy mental health phone chat.Reading and commenting on blog posts from Band Back Together or checking out this group […]

[…] after I started leading peer-support PPD groups where I live in Ithaca, NY. Then I created the #PPDSpeakEasy, a monthly phone support chat for mothers anywhere. And I’m in the process of creating an […]

[…] Yael Saar lost her mother to postpartum depression when she was 6.Years later, when she had kids, guess what? Yael struggled with PPD as well. She survived it and became a silly-side-up mama on a mission: to disarm postpartum depression and anxiety by removing guilt and shame from parenting. Yael shares her story (with coping skills on top) at www.ppdtojoy.com. She is @yaelsaar on twitter and www.facebook.com/ppdtojoy on facebook. Yael hosts a monthly ppd support phone chat called the PPD SpeakEasy. It is free, confidential, and loving. This chat happens on the 2nd tuesday of each month at 8:30pm Eastern. In September, to celebrate her birthday, Yael will be holding 3 SpeakEasy chats. For more info and dates click here: http://www.ppdtojoy.com/support/speakeasy-call/ […]

[…] isn’t lucky enough to have someone like Yael at PPD to Joy to launch a PMD group (check out her online group, too). Or your care provider can’t provide your partner with the in-depth information on mood […]

[…] Yael Saar lost her mother to postpartum depression when she was 6.Years later, when she had kids, guess what? Yael struggled with PPD as well. She survived it and became a silly-side-up mama on a mission: to disarm postpartum depression and anxiety by removing guilt and shame from parenting. Yael shares her story (with coping skills on top) at www.ppdtojoy.com. She is @yaelsaar on twitter and www.facebook.com/ppdtojoy on facebook. Yael hosts a monthly ppd support phone chat called the PPD SpeakEasy. It is free, confidential, and loving. This chat happens on the 2nd tuesday of each month at 8:30pm Eastern. In September, to celebrate her birthday, Yael will be holding 3 SpeakEasy chats. For more info and dates click here: http://www.ppdtojoy.com/support/speakeasy-call/ […]

[…] Yael also hosts a monthly PPD support phone chat called the PPD SpeakEasy. It’s a free, confidential, and loving call. This chat happens on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, at 8:30 pm Eastern. More info about the call is right here. […]

[…] If you are (or think you are) struggling with a postpartum mood disorder, you’ve got so may resources to support you. There’s Lauren’s weekly #PPDChat on Twitter, the entirety of Katherine’s website, and Yael’s amazing monthly support call. […]

Do I need to sign onto the e-mail list to get the speakeasy details prior to every meeting or will I automatically get the monthly speakeasy dial-up details since I am already on the list?

Here’s a quote: “Sign up to the website mailing list to get the call details delivered directly to your inbox on the day of each call. Your email will NEVER EVER be shared, your privacy is always safe here.”

This is a free support group for moms of kids of any age.
No official diagnosis required. If you are struggling while mothering, you are not alone. Please join us.
Monthly meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 12:30-1:30.
Dates sometimes change,
please check the events calendar.Location: The Women's Opportunity Center: 315 North Tioga Street, one block from the downtown parking garage by the Ithaca Commons.
More info here. Babies, toddlers, and brown bag lunches are all welcome.

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ESL Disclaimer

I’m a horrible capitaliser of letters, and a poor speller of words. i am working on the spelling thing, but kind of gave up on capitalisation. My first language (Hebrew) doesn’t have upper or lower case letters, and if after 18 years of living in English I still don’t have it down it’s probably never going to happen. If this bothers you, I apologize. But if i don’t choose my battles, i’d be fighting much too often, and then there wouldn’t be any blog posts, like, ever, and what fun would that be?